U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,802 discloses a unitary press frame and unitary cartridge with internal intensification. The cartridge body comprises a first chamber, a second high-chamber, and a connecting cylindrical passageway. Installed inside the first high chamber of the cartridge body are a plug and the internal fluid intensifier piston, the plunger of which is inserted into the cylindrical passageway. In normal operation of the press cycle, the pressurized fluid from an external pumping source is admitted into the first chamber via an inlet, forcing the internal fluid intensifier piston forward. The forward motion of the piston acts upon the fluid in the second high-chamber and urges the anvil/piston forward. As the anvil/piston comes in contact with a typical reaction cell, the fluid pressure from the external pumping source is increased in the first chamber causing amplified fluid pressure to build in the second chamber, behind the anvil/piston. The anvil/piston then acts as a mechanical intensifier of the pressurized fluid working on it, generating ultra high pressure at the anvil face.
There is a need for a more compact ultra-high pressure generation cartridge, preferably having reduced risk of hydraulic fluid losses. As used herein, an ultra-high pressure is at least about 1 GPa.